Street-car.



F. STEFFENS.

STREET CAR. APPucAnon ElLED Jpn: 1.4915.

1 ,1 97,074. Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

6 SHEETSSHEET I.

INVENTOR ,lr ohuiy A F. STEFFENS.

STREET CAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1915. 1 1 97 074. Patented Sept 5, 1916. '6 SHEETS SHEET Z- WITNESSES: a

F. STEFFENS.

STREET CAR.

APPLICATION HLED was I, was.

1 ,1 97,074. Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

6 SHEETS--SHEET 34 WITNESSES: INVENTOR F. STEFFENS.

STREET CAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE i. 1915.

v N I INVENTOR FredSiqfelw y I 67 WITNESSES 9m A TTOHIVEY F. STEFFENS.

STREET CAR.

APPLICATION mm JUNE I. 19:5.

1,197,074. PatentedSept. 1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

wi/bnuo 6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

F. STEFFENS.

STREET CAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l, 1915.

TTORNE Y UJITED STATES A OFFICE.

FRED STEFFENS, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

STREET-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 1, 1915.

lie it hnmvn that l. Faro Fi rsrrnss, a eitiiaen ol' the lnited E tates. residing at St. J seph, in the county of Buchanan and State f Missouri. have invented certain new and useful lniprovenients in Streetiars. of which the following is a specificalion.

This invention relates to street cars and the lihe. and its priinarv object is to produce a at oi siuwtautially the same size as but about twic the seating capacity oi any single UllllitlltllHllt car heretofore constructed.

More specifically the object is to produce a car having a central vestibule of full car nidth and low entrances thereto, an entrant-e ievel tloor longitudinally divided at opposite sides oi the vestibule to produce tour entianre floor compartmentsaccessible from the vestibule. a gallerv at each end of the "or. separated by the vestibule and of maple standing head room height above the outer portions or aisles of the entrance floor coui iartincuts and. sitting head room height helou the roof. and provided with dropped central portions or aisles of ample sitting head room height above the inner portions oi thetsahl entrance limit compartments and ample standi head room height below the root" of tae ear. the vestibule being provided with a flight of steps leading to each of said gallery aisles, the car also having a lower series of side windows to give light to and outlook from the lower compartments, and u per serie of windows to give light to and oulluol; from the galleries.

Another object is to produce a car having a central lougitutliinil inverted channel structure or beam dividing the air into two loiurit iulinallv wxtending compart ments. having lloors thanking the lower portions of the channei structure or beam. rows of longitiulinally-extending outwardlyd'acing seats within. said compartments and mounted upon said channel structure or beam, a central vestibule subsliiiding said compartments into tour taunpartinents communicating with the vestibule. and s de entrances for the entrance and exit of passengers.

Another object to produce a car of the Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 31,599. i

type outlined of light, strong, rigid and ornamental construction and which possesses unusual hygienic properties through the provision of-two series of windows at difierent elevations and all accessible to the asscnger. I

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel andepeculiar features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that-"it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a vertical longitudinal section of a car embodying my invention, taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 3. Fig. 2, is a horizontal section on the line II'II of Fig. l, and discloses a plan of what I term the gallery floor of the earl Fig. 3, is an enlarged section on the line III-+111 of Fig. 1. Fig. l. is a central vertical transverse section of the ear. Fig. 5, is a horizontal section on the line V-V of Fig. 1, and discloses a plan of the entrance floor of the car. F ig. 6. is a fragmentary perspective view of the interior of the car to show the vesti-- bule, a gallery, a gallery aisle and steps leading from the vestibule to the gallery aisle. Fig. 7 is a section on the line VII- VII of Fig. 4. Fig. 8, is a View illustrative of the window construction. Fig. 9, is an enlarged view taken on t e line IX--IX of Fig. 8. Fig. 10. is an enlarged View taken on the line X-X of Fig. 8. Fig. 11, is a fragmentary perspective view showing the relation or connection between the arches of the car frame at and about midway the length of the same. Fig. 12, is an enlarged cross section showing one of the cross shaped posts shown on a smaller scale by Fig. 5 and produced by the inner legs of certain double arched cross braces of the car. Fig. 13, is a vertical section showing one of the vertical T-bars. the car doors adapted when closed to abut against said ba -and the associated division rail, this figure Showing certain wood strips in rigid relation to said bar to receive directly the impact of the doors and to afford a practical connection between said bar and the division rail. Fig. 14, is

a detail view showing the connection between one of the bars shown by Fig. 13, and the central arch for connecting said bar with a similar bar at the opposite side of the car.

Referring to the drawings Where like reference characters identify corresponding parts, 1 indicates the car generally, the same corresponding substantially in length and width to standard cars now in use. The roof of the *ar is s'hown 'as of the turtle back type, and stands from siX to eight inches higher than the conventional one compartment car of the same length and width.

Between the trucks 2, which are diagrammatically indicated because the construction thereof does not in any way affect the invention, the car floor is dropped down to within about twelve inches of" the level of the rails. The car is of thelow center entrance type, 3 indicating a pair of doors at each side for entrance and exit purposes. The doors of each pair are adapted in opening to slide from each other into pockets 4 formed along the inner surfaces of the side walls.

The entrance floor 5 of the car has a central raised channel beam or structure which extends for the full length of the car between and over the trucks and makes a stepup from the entrance floor of approximately ten inches. This step-up portion at the center or vestibule of the car has a short top plate 6. The beam or structure is inverted to form a downwafilly-facing, channel 7, and the sides of said channel consist of plates 8. This channel structure constitutes what may be termed the backbone of the car as it performs the function of the customary side and center sills or beams of the conventional car. It is necessary to make the car of proper strength and rigidity, and hence at suitable intervals, vertical angle bars 9 are secured to. the exterior faces of the plates 8. and are connected by transverse bars 10 and 11, certain of the bars 10 also underlying, and engaging the top plate 6. Bars ll extend clear across the car and support the floor 5 and connect the lower ends of bars 5). The. parts from 6 to 11 inclusive constitute what may be termed a built-up channel, and it preferably is built up as shown. in the manner conventional with channels too large to be conveniently made from a single piece of metal.

To stiffen the end portion of the car over the trucks, the central channel structure described, is formed with raised end portions, shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 5. The raised portions are identified by the reference characters 12 and are strengthened by transverse brace plates 13, and connected to the ends of the lower or main portion of the channel structure by downwardly converging plates 14. The top plates 15 of the raised portions of the channel structure constitute the floors of certain chambers hereinafter mentioned, and 16 are plates which connect the outer ends of the body of the channel with the inner ends of the plates 15, and form the outer or closed ends of the entrance floor compartments. hereinafter described.

The walls of the car outer shells 17 and 18. The torucr may be of metal, wood or any other desirable material and finish, but the outer shell is preferably of steel plates. The rool is likewise of double shell construction. and arranged between the shells of both walls and roof, at distances apart correspomling to the width of the side windows. hereinafter more particularly referred to, are inverted U- shaped T-irons or equivalent arched braces 19; all of these braces teru'iiuating at the ex treme lower edge of the car body or sill of car, except the two occurring: over the entrance compartment or vestibule, and the braces which occur at the ends of the car over the trucks, which last-mined braces terminate at the lower edge of the car body over the trucks.

Flights of steps 20, lead upward from the ends of the top plate (3, constituting a raised central portion for the vest bule. to the aisle floors 21 of galleries 22, in ()j)l)(1.-ltt ends of the car, the steps being preferably equipped with guard rails or banisters 2-3,

The car shown is of the single end type, and the gallery floor 21 at the end of the carwhere the motorman will be stationed, is preferably dropped down a lcw inches as indicated at 24, to give the mo sman ample headroom, the drop being provided because of the downwardly curved ends of the roof. At the other end of the car is a cross seat 25, which may be dispensed with and both ends of the aisle floors dropped it it is desired to produce a car of the dmlblc-eiul type The spaces below the dropped porti n and the floor where the seat is loa'uts l, may be utilized for holding tools and the like, the floor doors giving access t th se spaces or receptacles, being omitted as forming no part of the invention.

hauling upward and outwar-zl from each of the aisle floors and can-riding from the steps 20, nearly to the ends of the car, are steps 26., and at the top or said t ps are the floors :27 of the galleries for the support of the cross seats 38, all of which seats except the two innermost ones identified by the character 29, being of the rcw-isible back type, in a car of the double-end construction. The said two innermost seats tare toward their respective ends of the car because the floors 27 do not extend completely under them.

If it is desired to make a douiuoenb car, the end seat 35. will be omitted and the girllery floors and steps extended for the accommodation of an additional seat 28 at comp-rue inner and 2 outer ends being secured to vertical T-bars 1 vertical planes as and secured at their outer :ends in any suitable manner to braces 19,

and. at their inner ends to the channel structure or beam, midway. the width thereof.

19 and the channel structure or beam, constitute the main frame of the car.

The double-arched, cross-braces above referred to consist of upper or outer arches and lower or inner arches 31. The upper or outer arches 30 are suiiiciently high to give a ple head room for passengers standing on t e aisle portions of floor 5 of the entrance door. compartment.- The lower or inner arches. 31 are sufficiently high to provide ,ample head room over the channel structure .--';or' beam, to accommodate passengers sitting on seats hereinafter referred to, which are secured upon said channel structure or beam.

Connecting the inner and outer arches are integral reverse bends 32, these bends being provided to accommodate the aisle floors 21 of the gallery, 22. The inner ends of the arches 31 of opposite cross braces-abut together at a suitable height above and extend down to the channel structure. The cross braces are preferably of T-iron or steel and secured rigidlytogether so as to constitute a central longitudinal series of strong crossshap'ed posts (Figs. 3 and 5,) disposed at intervals along the car at opposite ends of the vestibule, and secured toopposite sides of said posts are the backs 33, of seats 34,

which face outwardly so that the occupants thereof may rest their feet upon-the floor 5. At the outer ends of the series of seats 34. are inwardly facing cross seats 35, to give additional seating capacity.

For customary reasons it is preferred that persons entering and persons leaving the car shall pass through separate door openings, and to aid theeonductor, who preferably will stand at the entrance side of the vestibule, in keeping the incoming and outgoing traiiic separated, division guard rails 36, are mounted upon the floors 5,their upper or 37 by means of vertical strips 37 to which the ends of said rails are adapted to be secured in any suitable manner, and filler strips 37 against which-the doors 3 abut when closed, and to properly support said bars 37 at their upper ends and thereby brace the car'crosswise over the vestibule, they are connected by a transverse T or equivalent arch 38, the same being also braced by a pair of longitudinal arches 39, which extend through the inner corners of the gallery floors 27, and are fastened at their lower ends to the adjacent cross braces, as shown clearly in Fig. 7, Ornamental paneled brackets 40 give a finished effect to theinner ends of the gallery floors and steps, and-the cross braces are hidden by gracefully curved walls 41, secured to the said braces in any suitable manner, see Fig. 3.

At the inner ends of the longitudinal seats 34 are obtuse angle shaped plates 42 which hide the steps from the view of the occupants, of the entrance floor compartments; they merely constitute finished ends for said compartments. I

It will be noted by reference to Figs. 5 and 6, that the pockets 4 liein planes inward of the arms of arches 19, and that the pair of said arches which overlie the vestibule terminate above the door openings, the lower ends of said pair of arches being secured to longitudinal arches 43, preferably secured at their ends to adjacent arches 1S), like arches 39 are secured 'to the double-arched cross braces 30 31. It is-necessary or the accommodation of the doors. to straighten out to substantially horizontal position, theouter ends of the innermost pairof the cross braces 3()-31, viz., that pair to which are secured the opposite epds of the longitudinal arches- 39 (see Fig. 7'). Fig. 4,. shows one (it-the said pair of cross braces with its outer. ls horizontal and lying in a plane above the pockets 4, in which thedoors 3"slidc. To

identify this featureof the construction the outer ends of the said innermost pair of arches are numbered 44.

The car is provided with a-lowcr series of windows 44 for the lower or entrance coinpartmcnts and anjupper series of windows 44" for the galleries and the inotorinan. Each window is adapted to open by sliding downward into the space between the outer Wall of the adjacent side of the car and the adjacent inner wall thereof, which wall may be in the form of a panel.v The windows, of course, do not fill suchspaces and it is there fore'dcsirable to provide a panel cap 4:: to

cover said spaces from. the panel orinncr wall of the windows, each cap being provided with suitable openings 46, for a purpose which is hereinafter explained. In the plane of the panel caps, an angle'bar 47 is ings covered by plates 53, secured to the inner face of the sash. Extending slidingly through said plates are pins 54 terminating at their inner ends in eye handles 55. These pins are secured at their outer ends to spring plates 56 secured to the lower rail and adapted in normal posit-ion to overlap the outer side of the flange 49 of the cap 48. A coiled spring 57 fits in each bushing or lining and bears at one end against the plate 53 and at its opposite end against plate 50 for the purpose of holding the latter normally pressed outward.

To provide an ornamental non-corrosive guide within which the window sash shall operate and by which the same may be gripped with sufficient friction to secure it at any desired point of adjustment, I provide a pair of spring-copper plates 58 secured at suitable intervals by bolts 59 to braces 19, suitable fiber or equivalent washers 60 being mounted on the bolts between the plates 58 and said braces. Said plates are provided with vertical grooves 61 with in which the side edges of the sash fits and at their free edges the plates are provided with flanges (52 which fit slidingly against the braces 19. The braces 19 are provided with pins (53 on which are mounted springs 64 to press the grooved portions of the plates 58 firmly against the sides of the sash. The plates 58 are also provided at their inner edges with curtain grooves 65, and such innor edges of the plates 58 of adjacent sashes are connected by cap or finishing strips 66, said strips being retained in position by angularly bent flanges (37 which fit in the grooves 65.

A short distance above each window is a cross piece or partition '67, to prevent air in the space between the double walls and roof of the car, from circulating downward into the interior of the car, the space just below such partition being adapted to re; ceive a spring roller curtain or its equivalent, not shown, the ends of the curtain stick being adapted for sliding up and down in the grooves (35 of the plates 58 engaging the samewindow sash. Secured on the outer wall of the car for its full length across each window opening is an angle bar (58, and secured wit-hi each window opening to said angle bar (38, 1s a spring plate 69 terminating in a. rounded eye or coil 70 hearing against the outer side of the window sash and preventing air from passing into the car over the sash when the same is in raised or closed position.

XV hen it is desired to lower a sash, the operator presses upward to raise the sash until plate 56 clears the flange 49. The operator then hooks his fingers into the eyes 55 and pulls inward and presses downward upon'them at the same time. In this action late 56 is drawn inward beyogd the flange 49 so that the sash is free to move downward, and in such downward movement the I handles 55 pass through the openings 46 ir. the panel cap. The sash is closed by raising it until plate 56 clears flange L9, and is then lowered 'to cause plate 56 to again overlap the flange 49.

As the function of the various parts and compartments has been set forth in connection with the description of the car no re ca-pitulation or additional explanation is essential other than to state that the doors may be opened and closed individually or any suitable mechanism may be employed to effect simultaneous operation of the doors, such mechanism being omitted as immaterial, and that fares may be collected as the passengers enter or later.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a street car which embodies the features of advantage enumerated'as desirable in the statement of the object of the invention, and which ole-- viously may be modified in various particulars without departing from the principle of construction involved as recitedin the appended claims.

I claim 1. A car having a side entrance vestibule, having a central raised portion extendinglongitudinally of the car, a. gallery aisle,

gallery fioors at opposite sides of the aisle and in a higher plane than the floor of the aisle, and entrance floor compartments underlying the gallery floors and opening into the vestibule, and steps leading from the raised portion of the vestibule to the gallery floor aisle; the car having a .series of side windows for the gallery floor compartments and a series of side windows for the entrance floor compartments.

2. A car having a side entrance vestibule having a central raised portion, a gallery aisle, gallery floors at opposite sides of the aisle and in a higher plane than the floor of the aisle, and entrance floor compartments underlying the gallery floors and opening into the vestibule, steps leading from the raised portion of the vestibule t6 the gallery floor aisle; the car having a series of side windows for the gallery floor compartments and a series of side windows for the entrance floor compartments, and outwardly facing seats underlying the gallery aisle for the entrance compartments.

3. A car having a side entrance vestibule having a central portion, a gallery aisle, galleryfioors at opposite sides of the aisle and in a higher plane than the floor of the aisle, and entrance floor compartments underlying the gallery floors and openi into the vestibule, steps leading from t e raised portion of the vwtibule 'to the gallery flow-aisle; the car having aseries'of ior the gallery floor compartments and a series of side windows for the entrance floor compartments, out- Wardly facing seats underlying the gallery aisle for the 1 entrance compartments, and seats mounted on the gallery floor.

4. A car having a side entrance vestibule. a gallery aisle, gallery floors at opposite sides of the aisle and in a higher plane than the floor of the aisle, and entrance oor compartments underlying the gallery floors and openin into the vestibule, steps leading from t e vestibule to the gallery floor aisle; the car having a series of side windows for the gallery floor compartments and a series of side windows for the entrance floor compartments, and longitudinally-extending steps leading up from opposite sides of the floor of the gallery aisle to the gallery floors.

5. A car mounted upon trucks at its ends and provided with an entrance floor between the trucks, occupying a lower plane than the axes of the wheels of the trucks, and provided also with a side entrance vestibule and at Opposite sides of the vestibule with gallery aisles centrally of the car and extending longitudinally from opposite sidrs of the vestibule, gallery floors at opposite sides of the gallery aisles and in a higher plane than the floor of the latter, entrance floor compartments underlying the gallery floors and opening into the vestibule, a central longitudinally-extending raised portion for the floor of the vestibule, steps leading upward from the raised portion of the vestibule H001 to the adjacent end of each aisle floor, a series of side windows for each of the entrance floor compartments, and side windows for each of the galleries.

6. A car mounted upon trucks at its ends and provided with an entrance lloor between the trucks, occupying a lower plane than the axes of the wheels of the trucks, and provided also with a side entrance vestibule and at opposite sides of the vestibule with gallery aisles centrally ot the car and extending longitiulinally from opposite sides of the vestibule, gallery floors at opposite sides of the gallery aisles and in a higher plane than the floor of the latter, entrance lloor compartments underlying the gallery floors and opening into the vestibule, a central longitudinally-extending raised portion for the floor of the vestibule, steps leading upward from the raised portion of the vestibule floor to the adjacent end of each aisle floor, a series of side windows for each of the entrance floor compartments, side win dows for each of the galleries, and outwardly-facing seats underlying the gallery aisles, for the entrance compartments.

7. A car mounted upon trucks at its ends and provided with an entrance lloor between the trucks, occupying a lower plane than the axes of the wheels of the trucks,

plane than the and provided also with a side eidrancc tibule and at opposite sides ol thrvestibule with gallery aisles centrally oi the car and extending longitudinally from opposite sides of the vestibule. allery floors at opposite sides of the gallery aisles and in a higher floor of the latter, entrance iioor compartments underlying the gallery floors and opening into the vestibul a central longitudiwilly-extending raised portion for the floor of the vestibule, steps leading up ard from the raised portion. of the tihule floor to the adjacent and of each aisle floor, a series of side windows for each of the entrance floor eoin 'iartments, side windows for each of the galleries, outwardlyfacing seats underlying the gallery aisles, for the entrance compartments, and seats mounted upon the gallery hours.

8. A car mounted upon trnclis at its ends and provided with an entrance lloor lici ccn the trucks, occupying a loner plum llllll the axes of the wheels of the t uclis, and, provided also with a side entrance vestibule and at opposite sides of the veeiibuic with gallery aisles centrally oi ill-i: a1 iiul ex tending longitudinally from opposite siilcs of the vestibule, gallery floors at opposite sides of the gallery aisles and in a higher plane than the liner of the latter, entrance floor coiniiartmcnts undcrl f the gallery floors and opening into the vestibule. a can tral longitudinally-extending raised portion for the lioor of the vestibule, steps leading upward from the raised portion ol" the vestibule floor to the adjacent end of vacl aisle floor, a series of side windows for each of the entrance floor conipartim-nt,, dc windows for each of the galleries, outw "div-lacing seats underlying the guilta,- es, for the ciitlfiwe l'nliipzll'tlmHlS, ziliil er-l9: iumzlltwl upon the gallery liners, the lillli ll';(l:-l of l ll' gallery floors overlying the vestibule and acing toward llic ma r astof th ir live g'ill l'fl'ltim A car lll -llll t-l u on i2 and provzilcd with :in entrain-v lloor a-t'ucrn the trot-ii). occupying a lower plan,- llian the :IXLS oi the whcrls ol l u it" ainl lirovided also with a side cl wru r .Ulillllllt', and at opposite sidcs of the vc iziiulc with allcrv aisles centrally ot' the car and extras-ling longitudinally from opposite sides of the vestibule. gallery lloors at opposite sides of the gall ry aisles and in a higher plane than wi l soil portion ol' tlw vi sliliulc lloor Tlltllll end of (Mil :iis'lc door, a series of F le windows for racli ot llic cu trance tio coinpartuu-nt. side windows for each of tn: galleries, and outwardly*l'acing from the to the at 'slde windows and entrance seats for the entrance floor occupying a horizontal plane a suitable distance above the floors of the entrance compartments and located vertically under the floors of the gallery aisles.

10. A car mounted upon trucks at its ends and provided with an entrance lloor between the trucks, occupying a lower plane than the axes of the wheels of the trucks, and provided also with a side entrance vestibule and at opposite sides of the vestibule with gallery aisles central compartments,

ly of the car and extending limgitudinally from opposite sides of the vestibule, gallery floors at opposite sides of the gallery aisles and in a higher plane than the floor of the latter, entrance floor connmrlnicnts underlying the gallery floors; and opcning into the vestibule, a central lfillgrllllllllllllly -extending raised portion'for the floor of the vestibule, steps leading upward from the raised portion of the vestibule floor to the adjacent end of each aisle floor, a series of side windows for each of the entrance floor compartments, side windows for each of the galleries, outwardly-tacing seats for the entrance floor compartments, occupying av horizontal plane a suitable distance above the floors of the entrance compartments and located vertically under the floors of the gallery aisles, and seats mounted upon the gallery floors.

11. A car mounted upon trucks at its ends and provided with an entrance floor between the trucks, occupying a lower plane than the axes of the wheels of the trucks, and provided also with a. side entrance vestibule, floor compartments opening into the vestibule, a central longitudmadly-extending portion for and raised above the floors of the entrance floor compartments and the vestibule, comprising side plates near but at opposite sides pf the longitudinal c nter line of the car, suitable braces tor said side plates and in conjunction thcrewith forming a channel structure or beam. :1 top plate bridging the space between said braced side plates where the latter cross the vestibule, and longitudinallyextending outwardly-facing seats supported upon said channel structure within said lloor compartments.

1:2. In a car provided with side entrances, a central vestibule, four entrance floor coinpartments opening at their inner ends into the vestibule, an end gallery over the said compartments at each side of the vestibule, provided with dropped central longitudinal aisles, flights oi steps leading from the vestibule to the ini'ier ends of the gallery aisles, longitudinal arches in the sides of the car and over the door openings. transverse roof arches connecting said longitudinal arches, uprights in the sides of the car centrally of the door openings thereof, a transverse arch connecting said uprights above the door openings, and longitudinal arches bridging the space between the galleries at opposite sides of the said aisles and secured to said last-named transverse arch, and a pair of side doors for each side entrance, abutting when closed, the said uprights.

13. A car provided with a central vestibule, side entrances to the vestibule, doors controlling said entrances and four compartments at the same floor level as the vestibule floor. a central longitudinal channel structure at the bottom of the car. forming raised inner portions for said compartments and a raised central portion for the vestibule, and longitudinal seats upon the raised inner portions of said compartments.

'4. A car provided with a central vestibule, side entrances to the "estihule, doors controlling said entrances and four compartments at the same floor level as the vestibule floor, a central longitudinal channel structure at the bottom of the car, forming raised inner portions for said compartments and a raised central portion for the vestibule, longitudinal seats upon the raised inner portions of said compartments, galleries above the said compartments, provided with dropped central aisles, and pairs of crossbraces arranged in abutting relatioh at their inner sides and mounted at their inner ends on the channel along the longitudinal center thereof and secured at their outer ends to the sides of the car: said braces being formed with sets of arches supporting the gallery floors and lower sets of arches supporting the floors of the aisles.

15. A car provided with a central vestibule, side entrances to the vestibule, doors controlling said entrances and four compartments at the same floor level as the vestibule floor, a central longitudinal channel structure at the bottom of the car, forming raised inner portions for said compartments and a raised central portion for the vestibule. longitudinal seats upon the raised inner portions of said above the said compartments, provided with dropped central aisles, and pairs of crossbraces arranged in abutting relation at their inner sides and mounted at their inner ends on the channel along the longitudinal center thereof and secured at their outer ends to the sides of the car; said braces being formed with sets of arches supporting the gallery floors and lower sets of arches supporting the floors of the aisles. flights of steps leading from the vestibule to said aisles. an arched brace across the vestibule above the doors. and longitudinal braces in the vestibule at opposite sides of the longitudinal center thereof and secured to the adjacent cross braces underlying the galleries.

16. 111 a low center car having opposite side entrances, a vestibule. tour compartments on the same floor level as and comcompartments, galleries municating at their inner ends with the vestibule, galleries above said compartments, flights of steps leading from the vestibule to the galleries, a pair of doors controlling each entrance and adapted to slide away from or toward each other along the sides of the car within the latter, in their opening and closing movement, longitudinal arches over the doors and transverse roof arches over the vestibule and secured at their ends to said lon 'tudinal arches.

1 A car having end trucks and a central channel structure or beam extending longitudinally between the trucks and provided with extensions extending over the trucks, a central vestibule, side entrance doors for the vestibule, floors extending from opposite sides of the channel structure to the sides of the car and at the entrance level of the vestibule floor, inverted U-shaped transverse arches for the roof and sides of the car, transverse arched braces between the sides of said U braces and the central portion of channel structure within the spaces between the vestibule and the raised end portions of the channel structure, and horizontal cross braces between the said raised portions of the channel structure and the sides of the car.

In testimony whereof, I Zll'llX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED STEFFENS.

Vitnesses O. S. COIQYER, Tmzonoan RIESENNREY. 

